Those who have witnessed the meteoric rise of Nomos Glashütte over the past years, know that the German watch manufacture is always up for a good surprise. Right in time for summer summer season, it launches three new sports timepieces under the Ahoi flag. Water resistant to 200 meters and equipped with robust features as well as the characteristic understated Nomos style, the Ahoi Atlantic models are intended to be versatile “24/7 all-rounders” for all kinds of settings, according to the brand. They are distinguished by a deep blue dial that makes for a nice background for the contrasting white Arabic numerals and hour indices. The hour and minute hands are filled with white Superluminova and emit a green glow green in the dark. The watch face is protected by a sapphire crystal with a blue anti-reflective coating on both sides, which highlights the intense blue colorway aptly called “Atlantic” and allows for best readability.
Two of them, the Ahoi Atlantic and Ahoi Date Atlantic, are driven by the self-winding manufacture calibers DUW 5001 and DUW 5101 with date indication. Both have a diameter of 40.3mm and a height of 10.6mm. The smaller Ahoi Neomatik Atlantic (36.3mm by 9.6mm) boasts the self-winding yet very slim Neomatik caliber DUW 3001. All three sport a screw-down crown with a guard and a sixfold screwed exhibition case back that allows an unobstructed view onto the finely finished and Glashütte style decorated movements.
Ahoy, landlubbers! For those of you who love the ocean and all things inspired by it but prefer not to venture beneath its surface in a professional capacity, the NOMOS Glashütte Ahoi is the watch for you. Released in 2013 as the Saxon darling’s “dive watch”, the Ahoi has gone on to become a design favorite. Bulkier and more resilient than the Tangente model that made the brand famous, the Ahoi lacks some of the typical “dive watch” specifications but treks far enough along the trail blazed by genuine dive tools to wind up as the perfect beach watch for both fashion and fun.
As a “dive-inspired” watch, the Ahoi’s most notable carryover is its water resistance. Good for 200 meters beneath the surface, this one extremely over-engineered aspect of the design is a game-changer for the brand and a life-saver for the concept. Beyond that water resistance, the subtle but useful crown guards flanking a screw-down crown, and the quick-drying woven strap (and now bracelet), the Ahoi isn’t really much of a diver at all. And yet, somehow, perhaps because of the clever use of color and NOMOS Glashütte’s typically accomplished way of telling a story with its press images, the watch definitely seems to yearn for the sea (or at least the pool). While it isn’t a tool of any sort, it is perhaps the most suitable NOMOS for daily wear.
So, where do I come down on this new capsule? The 2022 Atlantic Blue updates are certainly welcome additions to the collection. Having each reference available with a closed case back is a nice touch. It not only gives you an option aesthetically but also presents the opportunity to reduce the price slightly. Models with closed case backs tend to retail for around €200 less. I’d personally take the open case back (always) because NOMOS does such a nice job with its movements. But maybe money is a concern. Maybe, ideologically, you prefer a “dive” watch with a closed back. Perhaps you are sensitive to movement sounds and want as quiet a watch as possible. All of those reasons would support the closed-back option. My favorite Ahoi model ever remains reference 561. That’s the very first Atlantic Blue neomatik from 2017. It benefits from the RAL 2005 hand, RAL 2005 neomatik text, and the rose gold hands and numerals that add an inviting sense of warmth to proceedings. Of the new models released today, I would take the 567. It has the same proportions and functionality as the 561 but can argue its superiority on the back of those awesome luminous numerals.